Novelty light device

ABSTRACT

A novelty-type light device which includes a generally hollow body mounted on a support means and within which is disposed a light source. The hollow body is defined by a plurality of generally planar panels angularly oriented relative to each other. The panels are semireflective, at least semitransparent whereby when the light source is viewed through any one of the panels a reflection of the light source is seen on one or more of the other panels through said one section to provide multiple reflections to give an &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;infinity&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; effect.

United States Patent Gordon A. Barlow Evanston, Ill.

Dec. 12, 1969 Oct. 5, 1971 Marvin Glass & Associates lnventor Appl. No.Filed Patented Assignee NOVELTY LIGHT DEVICE 7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 240/10, 40/130, 40/219, 46/47, 272/1 3 1111. C1 A47g 33 16 Field6: Search 240/2 0, 4.2, 10, 10.1, 6.4,51,46, 49 P; 40 130, 132,219;46/47, 226, 22s; 272/88.5, 10, 13; 350/299 References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS l,527,596 2/1925 MacCartney 46/47 6/1942 Yearta 272/132,698,177 12/1954 Engman 272/8 3,035,163 5/1962 Paumgardhem. 240/ 10.1

3,431,410 3/1969 Dolan et a1. 240/l0.1 FOREIGN PATENTS 536,314 1/1957Canada 240/10 Primary Examiner-Louis .l. Capozi Attorney-Hofgren,Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord ABSTRACT: A novelty-type light devicewhich includes a generally hollow body mounted on a support means andwithin which is disposed a light source. The hollow body is defined by aplurality of generally planar panels angularly oriented relative to eachother. The panels are semireflective, at least semitransparent wherebywhen the light source is viewed through any one of the panels areflection of the light source is seen on one or more of the otherpanels through said one section to provide multiple reflections to givean "infinity effect.

PATENTEB um 51971 SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVENTOR 60/?00/1 A. 5/1/01 0W BYWwwewb, MWQWMMWYM ATTORNEYS NOVELTY LIGHT DEVICE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION There presently are available a variety of lightdevices which are designed as novelty items which are used in dens,offices, bars or the like for novelty or conversation purposes or forproviding a desired atmospheric effect. Many of the devices use liquidsof other mediums which, when employed with various .types of lightsources, are designed to give unusual effects. This invention relates toa new novelty-type light device.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a newnovelty-type light device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light device whichincludes a support means, a light source mounted on the support means,and at least a pair of semireflective, at least semitransparent sectionsmounted on the support means and oriented relative to the light sourcewhereby when the light source is viewed through one of the sections, areflection of the light source on the other section is also seen throughthe one section. Preferably, the sections are defined by generallyplanar panels angularly oriented relative to each other.

In the preferred embodiments of the invention, a generally hollow bodyis mounted on a base or support means and is defined by a plurality ofsaid generally planar, semireflective, at least semitransparent panels,with the light source disposed within the hollow body to providemultiple reflections and thereby give an infinity" effect. The lightsource preferably comprises a plurality of miniature incandescent lightbulbs.

The illustrated forms of light devices of the character described hereinhave a cube-shaped hollow body mounted on the baseor support means. Theminiature incandescent light bulbs are of the wire lead type. The sixflat sides of the cube comprise panels which have a smoky tint and whichare partially silvered on the inside surfaces thereof to provide forreflections of the miniature lights and to provide for sufiicienttransparency to see multiple reflections thereof on the inside surfacesof the other panels behind a particular one panel through which anobserver is viewing.

In one illustrated form, the hollow body is oriented with one of themajor cross axes of the cube being oriented generally verticallyrelative to the base, and with the wire lead bulbs extending outwardlyfrom the major cross axis.

Provision may be made for rotation of the miniature bulbs as a groupwithin the hollow cube.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form ofa novelty type light device embodying the concepts of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, on an enlarged scale and partiallybroken away, of the light device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cutaway perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of one comerof the light device looking from the inside thereof;

FIG. 5 is a wiring diagram for the miniature incandescent lamp bulbs ofthe fonn of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second form of the inven tion;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section through the light device shown in FIG. 6;and

FIG. 8 is a wiring diagram for the device shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The embodiment of the inventionshown in FIGS. 1 through 5 includes a pedestal or base support,generally designated 10, on which is mounted a cube-shaped hollow body,generally designated 11, oriented vertically on one of the major crossaxes of the cube. The hollow body is defined by six generally planarsections or panels 12 held together by support ribs 14 along the joinededges thereof so as to fonn the cube. The panels 12 may be secured tothe support ribs 14 by appropriate adhesives.

Within the cube-shaped hollow body defined by the panels 12 is disposeda light source which, in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings,includes a plurality of miniature incandescent lamp bulbs 16 which,preferably, are of the type commonly called wire lead lights," normallyof a low-voltage rating, preferably about a lO-volt capacity. A supportwire 18 is disposed within the hollow cube defined by the panels I2along the vertical major cross axis of the cube, and the wires 20 of thewire lead lights are wrapped thereabout with the miniature incandescentbulbs 16 extending outwardly therefrom, preferably at random spacing.FIG. 5 shows a wiring diagram for the miniature bulbs 16, and thecircuit includes a low-voltage transformer 22, preferably about 6 volts,connected through an electrical line 23 with plug 24 adapted to be usedwith a wall socket. The transformer steps down the voltage in theordinary house circuit to the low voltage required for the miniaturelamp bulbs 16.

Each of the panels 12 which define the cube-shaped hollow body arefabricated of a substance commonly called black plastic. Moreparticularly, the panels have a smoky tint and the inside surfacesthereof are partially silvered so as to give multiple reflections fromall six sides of the cube and thereby provide an infinity" effect whenlooking into the cube. The panels may be either plastic or glass, orplastic on glass with the plastic tinted and the inside glass partiallysilvered.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 6-8, means, describedhereinafter, are provided for rotating the light source within thecube-shaped hollow body. Like numerals will be applied where applicable.In this fonn of the invention, the hollow body 11, comprising the sixplanar sections or panels 12, is oriented in an upright position withthe side panels generally vertically disposed and the top and bottompanels generally horizontally disposed. The hollow body 11 is fixed bymeans of bolts 30 to a generally hollow base support, generallydesignated 32.

Within the hollow base support 32 is mounted an electric motor 34electrically connected in parallel with a transformer 36, as shown bythe wiring diagram presented in FIG. 8. A shaft 38 extends upwardly fromthe motor 34 and has an electrical connector 40 at its upper end.Connector 40 is formed of two interfitting sections 42 and 44, with theupper section 44 being secured to and electrically connected with thelead wires 20 bearing the miniature incandescent lamp bulbs 16 at theirfree ends. Thus, the lights can be replaced as a unit by simply removingthe unit including the upper section 44 of the connector from the lowersection 42. A lead wire 46 conducts electricity from the low-voltageside of the transformer 36 to connector 40 through means of a slip ringor collar 48 which encircles connector portion 42 to establish contacttherewith while permitting relative rotation of the portion 42 withmotor shaft 38. As shaft 38 is rotated by motor 34, the assemblycomprising the wire lead miniature lamp bulbs will be caused to rotatewithin the hollow body ll to further enhance the "infinity efi'ect whenlooking into the cube as the image of the rotating miniature lamp bulbs16 are reflected off of the panels 12.

With the arrangement shown in FIG. 8, full voltage from the electricalsource is provided to the motor 34 through the external line 50,including plug 52, to rotate shaft 38, connector 40, and the wire leadbulbs 16. Transformer 36 is a low-voltage transformer, preferably about6 volts, and supplies low voltage to the miniature lamp bulbs 16,through the lead wire 46 including slip ring 48, with the other leadwire 54 from the low-voltage side of the transformer being grounded to ametal box 56 which encloses the motor 34. An additional pair of leadwires 58, 60 extend from the high-voltage side of transformer 36 andthrough a wall of box 56 to the motor, with leads 58, 60 and the motorbeing well insulated against electrical contact with box 56.

Obviously, any number of shapes or forms of lighting fixtures arecomprehended within the concepts of the present invention.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in theart.

lClaim:

l. A novelty-type light device comprising, a support means, a generallyhollow body mounted on the support means and defined by a plurality ofgenerally planar semireflective, at least semitransparent panelsangularly oriented relative to each other, a light source within thesaid hollow body comprising a plurality of miniature incandescent lampbulbs, whereby when the light source is viewed through one of saidpanels a reflection of the light source on at least one of the other ofsaid panels is also seen through the one panel.

2. A novelty-type light device as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidgenerally hollow body is cube-shaped 3. A novelty-type light device asset forth in claim 1,

wherein said cube-shaped body is mounted on said support means at acorner of the cube so that a diagonal axis of the cube extendsvertical).

4. A novelty-type light device as set forth in claim I, including asource of power for said light source within said support means, andsaid plurality of miniature light bulbs include wire leads extendingfrom said hollow body into said support means and connected with saidsource of power.

5. A novelty-type light device as set forth in claim 4, wherein saidpanels are partially silvered on the inside surfaces thereof to providefor said reflection and to permit viewing through said panels.

6. A novelty-type light device as set forth in claim 1, including meansfor rotating said light source within said hollow body.

7. A novelty-type light device as set forth in claim 6, wherein saidmeans for rotating said light source includes a motor disposed withinsaid support means.

1. A novelty-type light device comprising, a support means, a generallyhollow body mounted on the support means and defined by a plurality ofgenerally planar semireflective, at least semitransparent panelsangularly oriented relative to each other, a light source within thesaid hollow body comprising a plurality of miniature incandescent lampbulbs, whereby when the light source is viewed through one of saidpanels a reflection of the light source on at least one of the other ofsaid panels is also seen through the one panel.
 2. A novelty-type lightdevice as set forth in claim 1 wherein said generally hollow body iscube-shaped
 3. A novelty-type light device as set forth in claim 1,wherein said cube-shaped body is mounted on said support means at acorner of the cube so that a diagonal axis of the cube extendsvertical).
 4. A novelty-type light device as set forth in claim 1,including a source of power for said light source within said supportmeans, and said plurality of miniature light bulbs include wire leadsextending from said hollow body into said support means and connectedwith said source of power.
 5. A novelty-type light device as set forthin claim 4, wherein said panels are partially silvered on the insidesurfaces thereof to provide for said reflection and to permit viewingthrough said panels.
 6. A novelty-type light device as set forth inclaim 1, including means for rotating said light source within saidhollow body.
 7. A novelty-type light device as set forth in claim 6,wherein said means for rotating said light source includes a motordisposed within said support means.